Sword of the Animist gives creature decks a repeatable way to add lands by attacking. The equipped creature gets +1/+1, and each attack can search for a basic land and put it onto the battlefield tapped. White and red decks that already plan to enter combat can use it to develop mana without changing their main strategy.
The trigger happens when the equipped creature attacks, so it does not need to deal combat damage to a player. A small evasive creature can carry the Sword safely, but even a blocked attacker can generate the search. You still want to preserve the carrier when possible so the Equipment can continue producing lands without another equip payment.
Sram, Senior Edificer draws a card when you cast the Equipment, while Stoneforge Mystic can find it from the library. Landfall decks add another layer: Lotus Cobra can produce mana from the searched-for basic, and Avenger of Zendikar can grow its Plants. Extra combat phases can create additional attack triggers if the equipped creature is able to attack again.
Budget for both the two-mana casting cost and the two-mana equip cost before the first search. The basic enters tapped, so the usual payoff is stronger future turns rather than immediate mana from that land. Keep enough basics in the deck to support repeated attacks. Sword is most effective when a reliable attacker is already part of your plan and a steady increase in lands is more valuable than a larger immediate combat bonus.
